by Karen Rose
Her jaw tightened. “I told him that I’d nearly hit a kid on a bike.”
“I knew you hadn’t told him anything important. He took me by surprise, that’s all.”
“You and me both,” she muttered.
The aching of his heart lessened, just a bit. “You didn’t call him?”
She rolled her eyes before closing them. “No. He was here when I got back and I told him to go home, but he’s a nurse, too. He wouldn’t leave until he’d taken care of me.”
I should have been taking care of you.
The thought was as clear as the blue sky beyond her closed window shades, and it stunned him into a moment of silence. Then his brain caught up and he cleared his throat. “The shooter was DJ Belmont. We saw his face on the surveillance tape.”
“What a shock,” she muttered sarcastically. “I figured that this morning, without fancy tech.”
He nearly smiled at her snark, but the gravity of the situation kept him sober. “So did I, but I have to prove my theories with evidence. He may have seen you. You could be in danger.”
Her expression didn’t change. “And?”
He wanted to force her to open her eyes so that he could truly see her. But he kept his hands on his thighs and his voice steady. “And you need to take appropriate precautions. You shouldn’t go running off alone. Anywhere. With anyone.” He added that last sentence with Mike the Groper in mind. “Not until we catch him.”
She opened one eye. “If I run off with someone, then I’m not running off alone.”
He wanted to snarl at her. She wasn’t taking him seriously. “You know what I mean.”
“Fine, Tom. I’ll be careful. I won’t even walk Pebbles without an escort.”
“A cop escort,” he insisted. Which eliminated Mike the Groper.
“Fine.” She closed her eye and tugged at the blankets. “I’m going to nap now. You can see yourself out. Tell Mike that I just need some quiet and that I’ll be okay by tomorrow.”
Tom stood uncertainly. “What happens tomorrow?”
Her lips thinned, her expression changing to one of determination. “We’re going out to dinner. Do I need a bodyguard?”
He stood silently, words failing him once again. He watched her swallow, then brace herself before opening her eyes. She stared up at him, brown eyes full of challenge. “Do I need a bodyguard?” she repeated. “Or should I cancel on him? I will if you tell me to.”
Cancel, dammit. Cancel.
But that wasn’t fair. It wasn’t right.
Neither is Mike the Groper!
But he knew what he needed to say. “Don’t cancel. But don’t leave the house until I can ask Agent Raeburn how we can handle your protection.”
She visibly flinched. “All right,” she murmured. “I look forward to hearing from your boss. If I don’t hear by tomorrow morning, I’ll call him myself.”
It was his turn to flinch. She’d not-so-subtly bypass him, going straight to Raeburn for information. “All right.” He turned to go, but paused, hand on the doorknob, when she called his name. “Yes?”
“Tell Mike that I’ll be down in a few minutes and that I’ll make him supper.”
He nodded once, then left without looking back. Passing her message on to Mike the Groper was harder than he thought it would be, especially when the man became smugly pleased.
“I hadn’t planned to go anywhere,” Mike said. “Don’t worry. She’s safe with me.”
Tom managed not to slam the front door on his way out. He did, however, slam the SUV door when he got in.
Croft shot him a look. He glared back at her, daring her to ask him anything. “She’s fine,” he snapped. “She’s got someone with her for now. I’ll ask Raeburn for a protection detail.”
“He won’t agree,” Croft said very carefully. “She’s not the primary target and he’s down a man with Mercy’s protection detail. Just preparing you.”
“Then I’ll set up drive-bys.” Or I’ll hire someone to guard her. Until then, he’d watch over her himself. Whatever he did, she’d be safe. “I’ll take you back to the field office now.”
“And where will you be?”
“My home computer setup is better than the piece of shit machine they gave me.” He gritted his teeth. “Is there a problem with me working from home?”
“Not at all. I’m going to talk to my tattoo artist friend about the Chicos design.”
Immediately Tom was contrite. “Is it safe? Should I go with you?”
One of Croft’s brows lifted in warning. “I graduated Quantico when you were still in middle school. I think I’m capable of taking care of myself.”
Face flaming, Tom put the SUV in reverse and backed out of his driveway. “I’m sorry.”
She patted his arm. “It’s okay. You’re a little raw today. I get it. Thanks for offering to have my back. I’d prefer you use your time to track that e-mail, though.”
“Will do.”
SEVEN
EDEN, CALIFORNIA
WEDNESDAY, MAY 24, 2:30 P.M.
It has to be DJ,” Graham muttered, leaning in to drag his thumbs down either side of Hayley’s spine.
She barely heard the words, which had been Graham’s intent. He’d been permitted to escort her from the prayer service to the quarters assigned to Joshua’s wives. Right now the room was empty because the wives were off doing whatever jobs they’d been assigned to. There was a schedule among the other three wives dictating who slept with Joshua and on which night. Hayley would be added into the rotation once the baby was born.
For now she was on “light duty” since she was two weeks away from giving birth.
Which scared her to death.
“Hayley?” Graham whispered. “Listen to me. This is important.”
“I know,” Hayley whispered back. “Tell me.” Focusing on Graham would help her keep her growing dread in check.
“DJ’s the only one who leaves the compound. The drugs have to be his.”
“Makes sense. But how does that help us?” She flinched when Graham dug too deep into her sore muscles. “Not quite so hard, please.”
“Sorry,” Graham said. “I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
She reached back to pat his arm. “I know, Cookie.” She’d started calling him the nickname when he’d developed a love for graham crackers at age four because he believed they’d been named after him. He’d been such a cute kid. Now he was a serious preteen, saddled with a lot more responsibility than any kid his age should have to bear.
He snorted softly. “I prefer that to Achan.”
Achan was the biblical name given to him when they’d arrived in Eden. “A whore and a thief,” Hayley said softly. “That’s us.”
“That’s me,” Graham corrected. “You are no whore.”
Her heart melted. “Aw. You say the sweetest things.”
He huffed. “Shut up. You’re not paying attention.”
“I am. I just don’t see how finding DJ’s stash is going to help us get out of here.”
“It’s not a stash,” Graham said. “A stash is a baggie or two of weed. This is a shipment. There had to be thirty pounds of coke in that box that was labeled Smithy Tools. It was under a stack of other boxes.”
“DJ’s hiding it if he’s labeled the box as something else,” Hayley murmured. “The others don’t know he’s dealing.”
“I bet Pastor knows.” Graham started massaging her back again.
She nearly moaned because it felt so good. “That’s a sucker bet. Pastor knows everything that happens here. What are you thinking about?”
He leaned in again, whispering in her ear. “Using that coke to buy our way out of here.”
Hayley jerked out of his reach, staring at him. He wasn’t joking. In fact, he looked grimly sober. “What the hell, Graham?” she hi
ssed.
“Shhh,” he admonished. “You’re going to get us both thrown in the box.”
She covered her mouth, but her eyes were filling with tears. “You can’t. You’ll get caught.”
“And if I don’t, that bitch is going to steal your baby.”
Hayley blinked, sending tears down her cheeks. Quickly she wiped at them with the scratchy woolen sleeve of her homespun dress. “I don’t want you hurt.”
“If I do it right, I won’t be.”
“You heard Tamar. People are watching you. They know you’ve been exploring.”
“We need a diversion.” He glanced down at her stomach. “Tonight you’re going to pretend to go into labor. If I get caught, I’ll say I was trying to get blankets or towels or something.”
“No,” she whispered. “I can’t let you take that risk.”
“You can’t tell me what to do. Technically—here in this hellhole—I outrank you.”
He smirked, but Hayley didn’t think it was funny. “You’re going to get killed.”
“We need to get out of here,” Graham said stubbornly. “And we’re running out of time.”
She closed her eyes. “I know.”
“Then you’ll pretend?”
“Yes,” she breathed wearily. “Of course I will.”
He squeezed her shoulders. “Good girl.”
She leaned into him, resting her head on his shoulder. “I’m scared, Graham.”
“I know.” He slid his arm around her, giving her a quick hug. “I’m going to fix this.”
Hayley’s tears kept falling, because she wasn’t sure if this situation could be fixed. She was trading the safety of her brother for the safety of her baby. Graham thought he was tough stuff, but he’d never be able to defend himself if all the men of Eden decided to teach him a lesson.
He pressed a kiss to her temple, something he hadn’t done in so long that she was momentarily stunned. “You’ll have to name Jellybean ‘Grahamina.’ Like Wilhelmina, but not.”
She laughed, a watery sound. “You’re insane. And I love you.”
His answer was another hug and then he was on his feet. “Lie down and rest. I’ll get you something to eat. What do you want? Jerky, jerky, or jerky?”
Jerky had been a staple for the last week. Luckily, the women had put up canned goods last fall, so they weren’t starving yet, but she was really getting tired of jerky. “Jerky.”
He exaggerated a bow. “Your wish is my—” Then he straightened abruptly at the shout from somewhere toward the front of the cave system. “What the . . . ?”
Hayley struggled to stand, but Graham motioned for her to stay put. Worried, but unable to stand on her own, she complied.
“I’ll see what’s up,” he said, then disappeared around the curtain that provided all the privacy they were allowed.
A minute later he was back. “It’s Pastor. He fell down and he’s not getting up. The healer’s with him now. So’s most of the community.”
Hayley frowned at him. “Graham . . .” she warned.
“This is our diversion.” He grinned. “Ask me no questions, I’ll tell you no lies.” And then he was gone.
Hayley bit back the swear words that she wanted to shout at him. Don’t get caught. Please.
ROCKLIN, CALIFORNIA
WEDNESDAY, MAY 24, 5:05 P.M.
This is wrong.
Liza sat rigidly on her sofa, Mike at her side. He’d stretched his arm across the back of the sofa and was playing with her hair.
This is wrong. It was the thought that kept circling through her mind, drowning out the movie they’d been watching. She’d been thinking about Tom the entire time. And fighting the urge to run next door because she’d heard the garage door go up when he’d come home.
You’re hopeless. You’re just pathetic.
And then there was Mike. He was chuckling at the movie, having no idea about all the thoughts churning in her mind.
You’re using him. You just want to show yourself that you can walk away from Tom Hunter, but you’re being unfair to Mike. Just like you were to Fritz. Don’t make the same mistake again.
Liza despised herself for making this man think that there could be anything between them. Tell him the truth, then.
She drew a deep breath, turning to face him. “Mike?”
“Hm?”
“Can you pause the movie? I need to talk to you.”
He immediately hit the remote, and the movie stopped. “What’s wrong?”
She huffed a mirthless laugh. “So many things, I’m not sure where to start. But the biggest is that I don’t think I’m ready for a relationship.”
He froze. “Why not?” he asked cautiously.
Because I’m in love with a man who doesn’t want me and you’re second fiddle. She closed her eyes, unwilling to utter the truth aloud. “Um . . . I was married.”
Mike pulled away, his shock evident. “What? When? To who?”
“More than a year ago. He . . . he died.”
Mike sucked in a breath. “Oh my God, Liza. I’m sorry.”
“Thank you.” I’m sorry, too. Sorry that I’m giving you such a bastardization of the actual truth. Because her inability to be with Mike had nothing to do with Fritz and everything to do with Tom. “He was killed by a sniper outside Kabul.”
“Oh my God,” he said softly. Kindly.
“I was there.”
This time his gasp was completely silent. Then he let out a breath. “Liza, I had no idea,” he whispered. “I’m so sorry.”
“So . . .” She waved her hands in a vague gesture. “I’m not ready. I don’t want to hurt you.” That was true. So true. “I don’t want you to think this is more than it’s going to be.”
Mike was quiet for a moment, then pulled her close for a hug. “I’m sorry you lost him. I’m sorry you couldn’t save him.”
Also a nurse, he understood that part, at least. “He bled out before I could,” she said hoarsely.
“Were you hurt?”
“Not really.” The bullet she’d taken in her hip had been so meaningless in comparison.
“Was he the only one who died?”
“No,” she whispered. “Several others.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Me too.”
He let her go, a crooked smile tilting his lips. “So this is where I exit stage right, huh?”
“I’m sorry,” she whispered.
He laid a finger over her lips. “I get it. I don’t like it for a lot of reasons, obviously, because I like you a lot. I think we could have been good together.”
She swallowed hard, saying nothing. What could she say? It’s unlikely we’d ever have been good together, because I can’t seem to get over my seven-year crush on my best friend.
That was too much truth.
He sighed. “Well, if I have to bow out gracefully, at least it’s because of a combat hero and not a basketball star.”
Liza blinked. “What?”
“Your neighbor Tom. I thought it might have been because of him.”
Her eyes burned. “No. We’re just—”
“Just friends,” Mike finished. “I hear you. Not sure he does. He nearly bit my head off when I wouldn’t let him in earlier.”
Liza could only stare. What if Mike was right?
You are stupid. Stupid, stupid, stupid. She’d already gotten her hopes up, and it would hurt worse the next time.
“He knows about your husband?”
She shook her head. “No. It was too painful to tell anyone when I got back, and then . . .” She shrugged. “You’re the first person I’ve told.”
The crooked smile reappeared. “Well, that’s something, I guess.” He leaned in to kiss her forehead. “You call me when you’re ready, okay?”
&n
bsp; She somehow found a smile of her own. “Okay. But I hope you’re happily with someone wonderful before then. You’re too nice a guy to be alone.”
“I’d say ditto, but I think we’ve covered that.” He rose and stumbled over Pebbles, who’d been lying at their feet.
Pebbles lifted her head to stare at him, then went back to sleep. Mike reached down to scratch behind her ears. “Walk me out so I know you’ve locked your door.”
Liza did as he asked, then slumped against her front door. She was not going over to see Tom. She was not. She’d keep busy.
Step one was checking the want ads to see if anyone wanted to hire an ex–army medic for a month. The decision to take a break before she started nursing school had been based on dreams anyway. She’d had hopes that things would be different once she and Tom were in the same city. Living next to each other. Tory was gone. Fritz was gone. They were both single and . . . together. Except they weren’t.
She’d hoped this month’s break would be spent with him. That they’d both ended up in Sacramento had seemed like fate was finally smiling her way.
She sighed. “I am so damn stupid.”
Pebbles lifted her head, then tilted it curiously. Tom usually came to get the dog when he got home from work, but after the conversation in her bedroom, either he must have figured she needed Pebbles for comfort or he was giving her a wide berth. Maybe both. Whatever the reason, she was glad for the company.
“But no more,” she told Pebbles firmly. “Plans have changed. I’m going back to work. But first, I’m going to get your dinner.”
Pebbles bounded to her feet excitedly, prancing in place as Liza pushed away from the door. She stopped next to the big dog and planted a kiss on her muzzle. “You love me, don’t you?”
Pebbles licked her face and Liza laughed. “Come on. Kibble first, then playtime in the backyard. And then I’ll take you home.”
She’d slip the dog into Tom’s house through his kitchen door, hopefully avoiding him. Because she wasn’t sure she’d make it through another conversation with the man today.
ROCKLIN, CALIFORNIA
WEDNESDAY, MAY 24, 7:35 P.M.
Tom jumped when something cold and wet burrowed under the hand he had resting on his keyboard. Then settled when he realized it was Pebbles. He’d been so deep in his work that he hadn’t heard Liza bring her over.